Splicing mechanism for knitting machines



4 Shets-Sheet 1 G. P. BOSWORTH SPLICING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed Dec; 20. 1918 a 0 mm mm a a 4 W T a a a o fl a rw 7 O S 7 M 0 W 6 3 Wm W 1 x. l- 0 s O f v), 9 L a A a a 7 ul H 6 6 #854 P r M .m 8 w 0 W a A a 6 L 4 w A 0 Jan. 8, 1929.

Jan. 8, 1929. 1,698,211

G. P. BOSWORTH SPLICING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed Dec. 20. 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1Z i'g.2. as

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G. P. BOSWORTH SPLICING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Shet Original Filed Dec 20. 1918 I. l Inveniiow: (06003 6313 oswo 7 371), %1 I y I J 7 8% W 5;

Jan. 8, 1929 G. P. BOSWORTH SPLICING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed Dec. 20. 1918 4 Sheets-Sheet l I l I l I Patented Jan. 8, 1929.

; UNITED STATES PATENT 'oFF'IcE GEORGE nnoswon'rn, or GENTRALFALLS, nnonn ISLAND, Assrsivon ToirEMPHILL COMPANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, BHODE TSLAN'ID, A' CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS.

SPLICING MECHANISM FOR KlJYlTTIlTG MACHINES;

Original application'filed December 20, 1918, Serial No. 267,707. Divided February 9, 1923.

This application is a division of my copending application'Serial No. 267,707, filed December 20, 1918, Patent No. 1,448,653, March 13, 1923. i

This invention relates to knitting machines and more particularly to means for introducing a splicing or reinforcing yarn. Herein I have disclosed my invention in connection with the knitting of hosiery, butobviously my invent-ion is not limited thereto.

In order that the principle of the invention may readily be understood, I have disclosed a single embodimentthereof in the accomp anying drawings, wherein' 1 is an end elevation of a knitting machine having my invention applied thereto Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of said machine;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine shown in Figsjl and 2; and y i Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the upper part of a knitting machine embodying tion. y is v My invention maybe embodied in various types of knittingma'chines, whether straight or circular, and whether the needles be of the spring beard or latch type. represented my invention as embodied in a circular knitting machine wherein theneedles 1. Therein is mounted the usual drive shaft 2 having fast thereon a pinion 3 meshing with a gear 4 upon the shaft'5 which also has fast thereon a cam plate or disk Shaving elevations 7 and depressions 8 of any suitable number, and herein four of each, because of the timing between the cam plate and the head. The drive shaft 2 is provided with-the usual pulleys 9, 10 and 11 which may be respective- 1y high speed, low speed and loose.- Theknitting machine is provided with the usual needle cylinder 12 wherein are mounted needles that may be'either latchfneedles' or spring beard needles, but which preferably are spring beard needles. The needles are vertically reciprocated in their grooves by a my inven- I have herein g aring application filed Serial No. 618,104.

cam ring 13 carrying cams13 of a ny suita-ble.

type, as, for example, ofthegeneral character shown 1n the patent to Hemphill, No. 933,443.

Thcsaid cam ring is carried by a cam plate that the vertical position of the cam'ring may be varied in order to vary the length of the stitches. in the disclosed embodiment of'm'y lnvention, movements of rotation and recip-' rocation are imparted to theneedle cylinder, but mymventionis equally applicable to a construction wherein'jthe needle carrier or 7 cylinder is held stationary and the cam. car

rieror ring is rotated andreciprocatedf v Upwardly extending from .the bed of the machine istlie usual post 17 upontheupper end of whichis' pivoted in any suitable manner a so-called. latch ring or guard 18 which is herein represented as partially sur-- rounding the circle of needles,being primal ilyadap ted for. use with spring beard needles.

Obviously a completelatclror guard ringof anyother suitable character may be em.- ployed. Operativ'ely related to the needle cylinder-.12 is a sinker cam ring 19 of suitable character surrounding sinkers not 7 herein shown, but whlch maybe of any suitable type and are .n'iounted for radial movement in the upperedge of the needle cylinder. sinkers are adapted to be moved radially by cams of any suitable characters'o as to cooperate with the needles in the formation of the loops or stitches. f r i The said sinker cam ring 19rests loosely upon or about the upper end of the needle cylinder, and vheldfrom rotation with the needle cylinder and its needles and sinkers in any suitable manner, as, for example, by means of adjustable screws or stops 25, 26 tapped into ears orlugs 27., 28 carried by or formed upon the sinker cam ring. Said ears or lugs 27,28 are spaced apartsomewhat more widely than the width of the post 17, carrying the latch or guard ring'18, thus permitting a certain extent of lost motionbetween the needle cylinder and the" sinker cam "ring. This lost motion ispreferablyprovided to permit the proper positioning of the cams of thesinker ring with respect to the cams of the cam ring, thatis, with respect to the knit- These ting wave of the knitting needles in a manner well known and not herein necessary fully to describe.

Preferably the machine is provided with a shaft 29 which may have mounted thereon one or more pattern or cam drums not herein necessary to refer to and which in this embodiment of my invention also has fast thereon a pattern disk or drum 30 having the elevations 31, 32 functioning during the'formation of the leg and heel of the stocking, and the spaces 33, 34, respectively controlling the formation of the so-called high splice and the formation of the double sole.

The knitting machine is provided with any suitable character of yarn or thread supplying devices. Herein and referring more particularly to Fig. 3, Ihave represented yarn controlling levers 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 respectively supplying yarnforthe high splice, the heel and toe, the so-cailed boot of the stocking. the upper partof the leg of the stocking, and the introduction of a plating yarn or thread.

The said levers are mounted in any suitable manner, as, for example, upon a pin or stud 40 shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 4 in bearings extending upward from theright hand end of the latch ring or guard 18 and which may be of the general character disclosed in the said Hemphill Patent 170,933,443. Each of said levers is provided with an outwardly extending toe, certain of which are indicated at 42 in Fig. 4, and with which preferably cooperate suitable means tending normally to move the respective levers downwardly into yarn feeding position, that is, into the lowermost position indicatedin' Fig. 4. Herein for the purpose I have represented a series of levers at 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 pivoted upon a pin 48 in ears 49 upon an upright 41, said levers having tapered or wedge shaped inner ends 50 adapted respectively to take under the respective thread or yarn guides or levers and to move the same downwardly into knitting position under the force of the spring 51 respectively connected to said levers 43, 47 and to suitable pins 52 carried by said upright 41. In this or in any other suitable manner, each yarn lever is moved downwardly into action by a spring 51, but is moved upwardly out of action in any suitable manner as,for example, by the means shown in the said Hemphill Patent No. 933.443. and in the Hemphill Patent No. 934,969, such means being herein typified by levers, one of which is indicated at 53 in Fig. 4, as pivoted upon a pin 54 in said upright 41 and having connectedethereto suitable wires or rods 55 extending downwardly into operative relation to a suitable cam or patterndrum upon the cam shaft 29 in a manner not herein necessary more fully to describe.

In my said co-pending application Serial No. 267,707, I have disclosed and claimed means whereby the circumferential relation of the sinker cams and therefore the radial position of the sinkers at the effective point of the knitting wave, that is to say, at the point where the yarn is taken by the de-scen ding needles, may be varied or changed for any suitable purpose but especially for the the purpose of permitting the introduction As herein shown, the lug or ear 28 has tapped thereinto an adjustable screw 56 as shown in Fig. 8, and with which is adapted to cooperate a cam or other abutment 57 upon a lever indicated at 60 pivotally connected at 61 to a link 62, to the lower end of which is pivoted at 63 a lever arm 64 fast upon the shaft 65 itself mounted in bearings carried by the framing of the machine. Also fast upon the shaft 65 is a lever arm which extends downward into the vicinity of the cam plate or disk 6, it having a head or roll 71 adapted for engagement with the periphery of the said cam plate, and to ride upon the elevations 7 thereof or to enter the depressions 8 between said elevations. Assuming that the said lever arm 70 withthe roll 71 ispermitted freely to ride upon the periphery of the cam plate or disk 6, it will be evident that when the roll 71 enters one of the depressions 8, the link '62 and the lever arm 60 will be moved upward and that the abutment 57'will be moved into the path of the supplemental screw or stop 56. When, however, said roll 71 rides upon one of the elevations 7, then the abutment 57 will be withdrawn from the path of the screw or stop 56.

The effect of positioning the cam or abutment 57 as shown in Fig. 3 is, through the action of the sinkcrs, to draw more yarn between the needles where the yarn is taken by the needles and therefore to increase the length of the stitches, as, for example, to permit the more ready introduction of a rein: forcing or strengthening yarn. 1

As heretofore stated, the high splice yarn lever isindicated at 35 and in Fig. 4, I have indicated said lever in its lowermost or active position. i The high splicing yarn is. customarily introduced at the rear of the stocking just above the heel and if desired it extends into the upper part of theheel. Inasmuch as such yarn is introduced at the rear portion only of the stocking (in the formation of the high splice) means are provided for withdrawing the yarn lever from action during a part of the knitting of each course of a ser es of courses, either with or without severing the yarn as it is withdrawn. The yarn may be severed when withdrawn and again when introduced or it may be floated at both the points of introduction'and withdrawal to be afterwards severed, or in any suitable manner, the yarn maybe manipulated so as to be knitted into each of a series of coursesthroughout a part only of each of said courses.

In Fig. 4, I have repi esented the high splice yarn lever 35 in its lowermost or knitting po lever 35 whensaid high splice yarn lever is Wholly out of action.

Although I have referred specifically to the high splice yarn lever as such, it will be understood that said lever also controls the introduction of the yarn for the bottom of the.

foot, or if desired a separate lever may be'provided for such purpose.

While in order to move said yarn lever 35 from its lowermost or activethat is, its knitting-p0sition shown in Fig' 4 to its momentarily inactive intermediate position shown in said figure, I may" provide any suitable means, I preferably control said lever from the needle cylinderand more especially from the sinker cam ring fast upon said needle cylinder.' I have, as mostoclearly shown in Fig. 4c, providedthe sinker cam ring, which is carried by the needle cylinder 12, with a cam 73 of suitable-extent having an inclined edge 74. In the movement of rotation of said needle cylinder, said cam 7 a engages with and depresses a cam lever 7 5 which is pivoted at 76 upon the upright 41 and is provided with an arm 77, the end 78 whereof takes under the face or shoulder 79 upon the corresponding lever 53, so as to elevate the same slightly and thereby to lift the high spliceyarn lever 35 into its intermediate position; It is evident that the supplementary means thus provided for elevating the high splice yarn lever 35 into its intermediate position does not interfere with the subsequent elevation of said high splice yarn lever to its highest point or position through the action of its connecting rod or wire 55.

The cam or abutment 57 may be held out of action excepting during the formation of the high splice and double. sole. Herein for the purpose I have represented a lever 74:" pivoted at 75 and having an arm 76, the toe 7? whereof is adapted to ride upon theelevations 31, 32, or to enter the spaces 33, 34:. The opposite arm 78 of the lever normally held plate 6'.

elevated by a spring 78, has pivotally connected thereto at 79" a link or rod 80, the upper end whereof is provided with a slot 80 and is pivotally connected at 81 to a lever arm 82 fast on the shaft 65. Said shaft 65 also has fast thereon a lever arm 83 to which is connected a coil spring 84, the lower end whereof is connected to a pin 851extending from the support 86 of the rod 15. The construction is suchthat when the toe 7 7 o-f-the lever 74- rides upon either of theprojections 31, 82, then the link or rod 80 is moved downwardly, thereby-swinging upwardly the lever 83 and rocking the shaft 65-contraclockwise so asto elevatethe roll 71 of the'lever arm *ZO entirely out of the path of rotation of the cam plate or disk 6; When, however, the toe 77 sions 38, 34, the roll 71-is depressed into the path'of the Thus in theconstruction disclosed it is only during the formation of. the high splice or double sole that the cam or abutment 57 moved into' the path of the screw or stop 56, but the invention as herein claimed is not limited'in this respect, being directedto' the feeding mechanism which or maynot be associated with'the sinker controllinglmechanism."

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, and the best mode known to me for practicing the method of my invention, I desire it to he understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and'descriptive sense, and

not'for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being setv forth in thefollowing claims.

I claim:' I

1. In yarn splicing mechanism for circular, hosiery knitting machines, a circular se: ries of independently operatedneedles, cam means'for causing all of the needles to knit in circular work at a single level, a plurality of yarn fingers pivotally mounted side by side, including a high splicing yarn finger,

and each adapted to be moved automatically downward into fully operative position and to be moved automatically upward into inoperative, highest, idle position; a serieslof pivoted means adapted individually toengage intosaid fully operative and highest, idle positions, and means for positioning the high splicing yarn finger in an intermediate, inoperative position, said means comprising a cam rotatable about the axis of the knitting head, and a member mounted adjacent to said cam and to said pivoted means and adapted periodically to be engaged by said cam and to move the pivoted means for the high splicing of'tlie' lever 74 enters one of the depresperiphery of the cam disk or.

.said yarn fingers to control their movements yarn finger into the said intermediate position. o

2, In yarn splicing mechanism for circular,

hosiery knitting machines, a circular series of independently operated needles, cam means for causing all of the needles to knit in circular work at a single level, a plurality of yarn fingers pivotally mounted side by side, including a high splicing yarn finger, and each adapted to be moved automatically downward into fully operative position and to be moved automatically upward into inoperative, highest, idle position; a series of pivoted means adapted individually to engage said yarn fingers to control their movements into a said fully operative and highest idle, posi- 7 for causing all of the needles to knit in circular work at a single level, a plurality of yarn fingers pivotally mounted side by side, including a high splicin yarn finger, and each adapted to be movec automatically downward into fully operative position and to be moved automatically upward into inoperative, highest, idle position; a series of pivot ed means adapted individually to engage said yarn fingers to control their movementsinto said fully operative and highest idle positions, and means for positioning the high splicing yarn finger in an intermediate inoperative position, said means comprising a cam upon the sinker cam ring and a lever adapted periodically to be engaged by said cam, and thereupon to lift the high splicing yarn finger into intermediate position.

4. In arn splicingmechanism for circular hosiery Knitting machines, a circular series of independently operated needles, cam means for causing all of said needles to knit in circular and in reciprocating work, a plurality of yarn fingers pivotally mounted side by side to swing in vertical planes and including a high splicing yarn finger, a series of levers movable in vertical planes and each adapted to engage one of said yarn fingers so as to move the same into highest inoperative position-or to permit the same to descend into lowest operative position, and means for moving the high splicingyarn finger into an intermediate inoperative position, said means comprising a cam rotatable about the axis of the knitting head, and means mounted adjacent to said cam and to the lever for the high splicing yarn finger and adapted periodically to be engaged by said cam and itself to act upon the lever for the high splicing yarn finger to lift the same into an intermediate inactive position. i a r 5. In yarn splicing mechanism for circular, hosiery knitting machines, a circular series of independently operated needles, canrmeans for causing all of said needles to knit in circular and in reciprocating work, a plurality of yarn lingers pivotally mounted side by side to swing in vertical planes and including a high spliced yarn finger, a series of levers movable in vertical planes and each adapted to engage one of said yarn fingers, so as to move the same into highest inoperative position or to permit the same to descend into lowest operative position, and means for moving the high splicing yarn finger into an intermediate inoperative position, said means comprising a cam 73 upon the sinker cam ring, and a lever adapted periodically to be engaged by said 7 cam and itself to engage the lever for the high splicing yarn guide, and thereby to lift the latter into an intermediate inactive position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification;

GEORGE P. BOSYVORTH. 

